Control mechanisms of the mechanical type (using springs), of the pneumatic type and of the hydraulic type are known for operating circuit breakers, in particular for performing an OFO cycle (open, rapid close, open again).
A mechanical drive mechanism is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,300.
At present, the drive mechanisms available deliver energy up to a maximum of about 3000 Joules. Recent circuit breakers require drive mechanisms that deliver much larger quantities of energy, about ten times the maximum energies currently available.
Research, development, and manufacture of a new drive mechanism of such high power would require considerable investment.
An object of the invention is to use a presently-available low power drive mechanism of very low cost and to adapt it to driving a high power circuit breaker.